Summer Reading: Live Animal Program with The Joys of Nature (O'Connell)
What is an endangered species? Why are many animals and their habitats disappearing? Learn about endangered species in the wild here in New England, and around the world, and some things we can all do to help them. Recommended for children ages 4 and up and their caregivers.
Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Cambridge Public Library and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Step Into the World of Gospel Music with the Millenium Gospel Choir (Main)
As part of our Black History Month celebration, the Peace Commission invites you to Step Into the World of Gospel Music through a special concert featuring the Millennium Gospel Choir, presented in partnership with the Cambridge Public Library.
Gospel music is a foundational part of Black American history and culture. Emerging from the lived experiences of Black communities, gospel has long been a source of expression, resilience, storytelling, and collective joy. It has shaped American music far beyond church walls, influencing soul, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and the popular music we know today.
This concert is offered as a cultural and historical experience, highlighting gospel's role in the Black freedom struggle, community building, and artistic innovation. Through powerful vocals and rich musical traditions, the performance invites reflection on how music has carried hope, resistance, and connection across generations.
Whether you are familiar with gospel or experiencing it for the first time, all are welcome to join us in honoring this enduring art form and its place in Black history.
AAPI Voices Poetry Open Mic with Aparna Paul (Valente)
Celebrate AAPI voices through a poetry open mic & feature! Poets of Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage are invited to share their work and/or recite a cover poem. All adults are welcome to attend.
Interested poets can sign up for a 3-5 minute timeslot in the open mic by filling out this form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/dszDWm1h2R
Following the open mic, we will be featuring Cambridge-based poet Aparna Paul.
Aparna Paul (she/her) is a writer, chemical engineer, banana bread enthusiast, & amateur crossword constructor based in Cambridge, MA. Her poetry & prose has been recognized by Reckoning, DMQ Review, & Gaining Ground, among others. She edited the anthology Reflections of The Land (Literary Cleveland, 2022) and is a co-editor of GOOD SOUP, now on hiatus (@goodsoup.mag on insta!). She performs regularly, hosts occasionally, and slams sometimes at the Boston Poetry Slam at the Cantab Lounge. HOME FREE (Game Over Books, 2025) is her debut full-length poetry collection. Books will be available for purchase.
Coffee will be provided.
Summer Reading: Capoeira for Everyone with Mass Capoeira at KING OPEN CAFETERIA! (Valente)
Join us for a demonstration of capoeira, a unique Afro-Brazilian art form combining martial arts, dance, music and acrobatics. Following the performance, children will have the opportunity to learn basic capoeira movements. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers.
This program will occur in the Cafeteria at King Open.
Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.
CPL Nature Club: Rethinking Urban Nature Workshop with Earthwise Aware (Main) (RESCHEDULED)
Join Earthwise Aware for a thought-provoking workshop examining how land use and climate change influence the design, function, and future of urban green spaces. Starting at the library’s front lawn, we will explore how conventional designs can undermine biodiversity and tree health. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? Can a lawn, sidewalk, or plaza be transformed into habitat?
We will compare low-functioning green spaces with examples of micro-forests, native plantings, and meadows. Along the way, we will observe seasonal changes in plants and wildlife through the lens of phenology, the study of nature’s calendar. We will also introduce simple participatory science tools that help monitor habitat quality, foster community engagement, and inform better decisions.
Even a modest native plant patch can be a pocket of resilience. Come learn how to spot, support, and reimagine urban nature that works with the ecosystem, not just mimics it.
The program will start with a workshop in the Rossi Room, then move outside to Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.
[CANCELLED] CPL Nature Club: Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mt. Auburn Cemetery (Collins)
Update: This event has been cancelled. The next Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mt. Auburn Cemetery will be held on Friday, January 30th at 10:15 a.m. Register for that walk at this link. We are sorry for the inconvenience!
Join us for a morning walk at one of the most renowned bird watching spots in Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery! We will help you identify birds, learn birdwatching tips and tricks, and familiarize yourself with migratory birds as well as those that can be spotted all year round. A limited supply of binoculars will be available.
The walk will meet at the Collins Branch Library at 64 Aberdeen Ave at 10:15 am. We will walk to Mt. Auburn Cemetery together (about a five minute walk). Please try to be on time as we will leave shortly after 10:15!
Registration is required. This event can only accommodate a certain number of participants. One registration is good for one person. If you do not register, you cannot participate. Those on the waitlist will be contacted if a space becomes available.
Know Your Rights: Information Session for TPS Recipients (Central Square/Virtual)
Join us for a Know Your Rights presentation led by an attorney from De Novo.
This session will share important updates for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, including:
How to renew your TPS
Work permit and travel information
Legal supports and available resources
You’ll also have the chance to ask questions and connect with local organizations that can help with ongoing support. This a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. We will be providing interpretation in Spanish and Haitian Creole on location during the event. Registration is encouraged but not required. Pizza will be provided!
Vin jwenn nou pou yon prezantasyon ak yon avoka imigrasyon De Novo sou Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè (TPS).
Nou pral eksplore sijè tankou:
Kijan pou renouvle pèmi Travay
TPS ou ak enfòmasyon sou vwayaj
Sipò legal ak resous ki disponib
Pou wè prezantasyon sa a sou Zoom, enskri pou reyinyon an ak lyen ki anwo a. Pou gade l an dirèk, vizite Bibliyotèk Central Plas la (45 Pearl Street). Entèpretasyon an ap disponib an kreyòl Ayisyen ak an Espanyòl. Gratis epi louvri pou tout moun!
Acompáñenos a la presentación de un abogado de inmigración de De Novo sobre el Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS).
Hablaremos sobre los siguientes temas:
cómo renovar su TPS
permiso de trabajo e información de viaje
apoyos legales y recursos disponibles
Para ver esta presentación en Zoom, regístrese en la reunión usando el enlace anterior. Para verla en vivo, visite la Biblioteca de Central Square 45 Pearl Street, Cambridge Habrá interpretación en criollo haitiano y español. ¡Entrada libre y gratuita!